Title: Stay With Me
Author/Authoress: Kel and Suqua
Disclaimer: We do not own Demon Diary or the characters therein. However, we do own this particular Fanfiction.
Theme/Challenge: #094 Good-bye.
Fandom: Demon Diary
Pairing: Eclipse/Raenef V
Rating: PG

Raenef did not like it when Eclipse had to leave. It was sad, feeling every time like he was leaving forever. Even if his absense only lasted a few days, it felt like so much longer. While he was gone, Raenef was always bored. It was like a break away from a school he really liked, leaving for a long period of time and then coming back with a wide smile and lots of laughs.

But it was almost time for Eclipse to go, he was getting ready and was leaving in only a few minutes.

Really, Raenef despised good-byes above all else. He also hated that Eclipse had to go to meetings often, coming in a close second of the (few) things he hated. With Eclipse leaving, Raenef was to stay in the castle by himself with only birds and books keeping him company.

But they weren't Eclipse.

For the next few days he'd drink tea by himself, look at books without a familiar shoulder beside him occasionally glancing over to see if he were asleep, the constant comfort of Eclipse acting as his servant and giggling when he would break through his normal calm appearance with an almost-smile that Raenef managed to create.

Once, when Eclipse was gone for a whole week, he'd cried the last two nights.

With a sigh, Raenef finished doing up his hair and the strands left his shoulders. He chewed on his lip, forcing himself to relax. Then, he let his hands drop to his sides and shut his eyes.

When they opened again, he was standing by the front door, blue eyes seeking out Eclipse as he fixed his smile on his face. Yes, he looked every bit the happy young Demon Lord that he was not.

In all honesty, Eclipse hated leaving. He hated a lot of things, actually, though most were small things, inconsequential. This hate, however, was large, and it made departing from the castle, and Raenef's presence, increasingly difficult with each passing meeting.

He hated those meetings. They were constant, irritating reminders of his duty, of his responsibility to running the land while Raenef learned. And as aggravating as the meetings were, he knew they were necessary, and that was the only thing that urged him away from the castle for each gathering.

Were it not for that, he would never leave his Master's side.

When Raenef appeared, Eclipse turned to greet him. This good-bye was the only reason he was lingering, the last moments where he would be able to make sure Raenef was alright. But still, he would worry, and throughout the meeting would remain distracted until he was free to retire, only to return distracted the next day.

It was a frustrating cycle, one that only ended when the meetings were over, and he could return to the castle. There he could see for himself that Raenef was fine, that he was happy. It was only then that he could truly relax.

"Master Raenef." Eclipse inclined his head in respect, hiding his relief when he saw the smile. He hoped his young Master would be smiling throughout his absence.

"Good-bye, Eclipse!" Raenef said energetically, bowing as well.

One of the things he forgot, he wasn't inclined to bow to anyone. He wasn't supposed to, as Eclipse had often told him. "Make...make sure you take care while your gone and come back soon, okay?" He said, smiling up at him.

Was he being too bubbly? Raenef couldn't tell, he was far too busy making himself not cry and smile like he was. It was hard work, but he was getting good at it.

It was like squeezing melting clay into a ball, so that it wouldn't run between his fingers. He had to stay on top of it and hold on so it wouldn't drip.

"Of course, Master Raenef." Eclispe's voice, always soft, held a different tone. He hated good-byes, though that hate was only kindled when he was departing Raenef. How strange. "I will only be gone a few days. I'm sure you will be able to take care of yourself while I'm gone."

It was both a compliment, and a warning, though he knew it was not his place to warn Raenef of anything. He was a servant, a teacher, and while Raenef was his student, he was also his master. Their situation was a precarious one. On one hand, Eclipse had every right to warn Raenef off of anything, but on the other...

The other was entirely different.

Smile increasing a little, Raenef nodded. "I'll be fine, I promise!" Somehow that promise didn't sound like he was being entirely truthful.

He mentally sighed heavily, his eyes shut as he smiled to hide whatever angst was deep in his heart.

The ball of clay was melting, he couldn't hold onto it much longer. Eclipse had to go, so he coud cry in peace until he came back and Raenef could be himself again.

In a few days...a few, sad, boring, Eclipse-less days.

The nod that was Eclipse's answer held more then just assent. It was doubtful, but it was the demon's reluctance that kept that doubt from being voiced. He would never say a word against Raenef's promise.

Lingering in the hall was useless, and Eclipse knew that the gates were far from the castle for safety purposes. Bidding Raenef goodbye one last time, Eclipse gave a sharp command of, "Go!" And disappeared from the hall.

A few seconds after Eclipse was gone that Raenef let his smile fall. He found the nearest wall, backing up into it and sliding until he was sitting against it. A sniffle broke out first, arms wrapping around his knees as the tears started flowing.

His forehead fell forward, salty tears trickling down his cheeks.

Eclipse was gone, he was all alone...Raenef tried perking himself up by telling himself that it was only for a few days, but it didn't work. Being around Eclipse all this time, he'd grown used to having him by his side. When he wasn't there...it was like a big half of him was torn away.

Here he was, sitting here crying and blubbering like a baby.

Some Demon Lord, he thought sadly. Eclipse would probably scold him for it if he could see him now. Raenef was positive that Lords were not supposed to cry.

Eclipse had barely made it to the gate when he decided there was something wrong. He had been doing this for years. Going to these useless meetings, over and over as they dulled his mind and made him do something he hated.

He wouldn't stand for it anymore. He would not sit through another meeting, listening to fools blather on about this misfortune and that, when his thoughts were in another place. How useless!

No, if he could not apply his full attention to the matter at hand, he would surely go mad. There was no need for him at those gatherings, they ran just as well without his distracted presence.

He was needed far more away from those meetings, back at the castle he had just left.

Stepping back inside the boundaries of the gates, Eclipse didn't hesitate in giving his returning command. It had never seemed so slow, but in seconds, Eclipse was touching down on the same expanse of floor he had just abandoned.

The sight that met his eyes was an honest shock to him.

"Master Raenef..." The name was breathed out between disbelieving lips, and Eclipse didn't think he'd ever moved so fast.

Yes, he had seen Raenef cry before, but those were childish tears, tears that moved too fast and dissolved quickly. These were tears that lingered on Raenef's eyelashes, clung and were reluctant to fall. Eclipse hated the sight of them, and hated the fact that anything could make Raenef cry this way.

Kneeling in front of Raenef, Eclipse reached out, tilting his head up with long fingers. "Master Raenef..." For a moment, it seemed that those were the only words that Eclipse could utter. There was such a mindless rage that something could hurt Raenef so much, and he didn't know... Whatever it was, Eclipse would see that it never happened again. He refused to let anything effect his master this way.

"What has happened?" Surely it had to be something. He had never seen Raenef cry over nothing, though there were things that he would doubt were of real consequence.

Raenef jumped at the first spoken word of his title, then tried to get rid of his tears with little results. They kept rolling down his cheeks, wetting the front of his shirt and making his face shine. "No...nothing...I'm...fine..." He said in little harsh whispers as he hiccupped slightly.

His eyes refused to meet Eclipse's, instead looking over onto the floor. Inwardly, he was sobbing with joy that the older demon was back and he wanted nothing more than to jump up and grab Eclipse around the neck and squeeze the breath from him. So, so happy.

But...now Eclipse had seen him cry like this. His shoulders hitched as one of his sobs broke free. He tried restraining them, really he did. But there was the thought that if he said he was okay, then Eclipse would leave again.

The blatant lie was not challenged, and Eclipse simply gave his head a slight shake. His arms slipped down, pulling Raenef up and against him. He rested his cheek against the top of his master's head, eyes shutting.

He wanted to tell Raenef to never lie to him. If anyone, not him, but he knew it would be over stepping his rights on a scale that could not be forgiven. Raenef, as master, had every right to keep information from Eclipse, and it could not be questioned.

Eclipse only wished it was not so.

"Whatever it was," He whispered, quite unwilling to break the silence that had overcome them. "It is gone now."

Small hands held onto the front of Eclipse's clothing. "But..." Raenef's small voice said softly. "You're...you're going to leave again, aren't you?"

The small comfort of Eclipse's words would still need to melt the cold lump in his stomach. Raenef was sad, trying to swallow his tears away because he knew that Eclipse would leave eventually. His eyes shut and his eyelashes clung to his wet cheeks.

"I..." He said, just as soft until his grip tightened. "I don't want you to go, stay with me please, Eclipse!"

Was that... what had made Raenef so distressed? Eclipse blinked, and raised his head to look down at his young master. He knew that the small tilt to his lips was entirely inappropriate for the situation, but there was no stopping the small smile that only Raenef had ever made him show.

It was sweet, and so typically Raenef.

Eclipse couldn't help himself, raising Raenef's head again and placing a gentle kiss on his lips. "No, Master Raenef. I will not go."

Sniffling softly, Raenef didn't even feel the need to wonder about the kiss. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Eclipse's neck and hugged him tightly.

And now, he cried happy tears.

Because Eclipse was going to stay with him.

-End-